X-ray machine



April 15, 1930. A. MUTSCHELLER X-RAY MACHINE 3 Shets-Sheet Filed Sept. 20, 1926 :1. 115mm: 37 Z7 38 36 [00 INVENTOR 74/77/105 Mama/ELL a/mh r ATTORNEY April 15; 1930. A. MUTSCHELLER X-RAY MACHINE Filed Sept. 20, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet :us was CD 15 INVENTOR vrfirHz/fi MUTSCHELLER ATTORNEY April 15, 1930.

Filed Sept. 20, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 T4 swag: E:

o f o 43 44 5O Z, 10/ -2 1| 9 9 ll 03 99 I INVENTOR 4/7 MUTSCHELLER ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNITED :srares PAT ENT OC'FFFLCE ARTHUR .MUTSCHELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T WAIPPLER ELECTRIC COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION .OF NEW YORK X-RAY MACHINE flpplieati on filed September 20, 1926.

Myinvention relates {to X-ray machines of the general type described in my pending application, Serial No. 101,012,1iledApril 10,, 1926,.and in which acomplete (and-self- .5 containing .X-ray zunit energized 'xby currents supplied to it from an extrinsic source, diurnishes rectified currents of high potential, suitable for energizing the main discharge circuit of an .X-ray tube, and also furnishes lowtensioncurrents for heating the @cathode filament of the 'Xntay tube, as wvell as the cathode filament of .such valve tubes as. are used.

More particularly stated, I seek to improve the X ray .machineiof thetype mentioned, so as to develop relatively high voltages without undue danger to persons r01 apparatus, and to enable the same machine to be instantly converted, so as to supply either high voltage 110 andn light current or;a lower voltage with a heavier current, .as desired allunwieldy parts of the machine, including the valve tubes carried by it, remaining undisturbed in position.

transformer, a valve tube and. an X-ray tube,

so combined as to develop high tension discharges of unitary direction through :the X- ray tube. However, with the apparatus ust mentioned as heretofore .employedpthere are severe limitations upon the voltage and current which may safely be used-with an X-ray tube, and these limitations have unduly restricted the use oil'the apparatus otrthe prior art.

In my new machine I have-managed, chiet ly by the relative arrangement of the various parts, to increase both the voltage and the current, which can be supplied safely to a given X-ray tube, or to any X-ray tube under given conditions. Inaccomphshing this desirable purposel have also succeeded n pro ducing a very compact X-nay machine, in which all high tension strains are as far as practicable distributed as uniformlyas .possible, and so localized that the machine .as a whole is comparatively safe to handle.

An important feature of my invention is the provision of valve tubes, condensers, .a

In the prior art there has been used an ray apparatus containing a high tension Serial No. 136,420.

high tension transformer provided with two separate secondary windings, anda changeover switch, so arranged that asingle movement of the switch and the parts actuated therewith has the eiiect of shifting the ma chine as a whole from one operating condition toanother. That is to say, for the two normal positions of the switch the machine has two distinct conditions of operation. In one of these conditions the secondary windings and the valvetubes are all inseries with each other and with the X-ray tube, and the condensers are in active use. In'the other of the two conditions the valve tubes are 'in parallel with each other and the secondary windings are also in parallel with each other with reference to the Xmay tube, and the condensers are short circuitedandthus rendered inactive.

By having the condensers in active use whenever the secondary windings and valve tubes are in series witheach other and with the Xray tube, a considerable amount of energy can be stored in the condensers, and used for rendering the discharge through the X- raytube almostcontinuous. While-this might be a hindrance for certain purposes of radic gra p hysby causing the discharge through the X-ray tube to legend thus increase the diffi'culty of obtaining short exposures, it is of great value in therapeutic operations.

Owing to thecompaet arrangement of the various parts in my'device, most otthe meclr a-nisin can be submerged in oil. Themachine as a whole has generally the form of an oil tank provided with a cover, practically all of the'parts not housed ithin thetan'k and submerged inthe oilloeing carried upon the cover, and the parts thus carried being as 'far as practicable those which should in practice be more or less accessible. I

Reference made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures.

Figure 1 is a view showing the oil tank serving as a housing and the meehani-smleom tained therein, and is a section on the line 1-1 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Figure 3, with this mechanism as it would appear to a person standing at the left of that figure.

Figure 5 is a diagram of the widing, with the mechanism in condition for high voltage and low amperage, the condensers being actlve.

Figure 6 is a dia ram of the wiring with the machine in condition for low voltage and heavy currents, the condensers being shortcircuited and thus inactive.

A tank 7 serves the double purpose of an oil tank and a container for most of the mechanism. This tank is provided with a cover 8, in the form of a flat plate, detachably fitted upon it and serving as a support for a portion of the mechanism.

Located within the bottom of the tank and spaced widely apart are a pair of pillow sills 9, 9, and extending upwardly from them are lifting posts 10. Each lifting post is provided with a neck portion 11 extending through a hole in the pillow sill, and secured by a nut 12, as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. The lifting posts each extend from bottom to top of the tank and are each provided with an eye 13. There are four of these eyes, and they are useful in lifting the 351k and its contents whenever this is desir- Disposed adjacent the pillow sills 9, 9, and parallel thereto are foot sills 14 of which there are two. Extending crosswise of the pillow sills 9, 9 and foot sills 14, 14 are a pair of tie beams 15, 15, shown more particularly in Fi re 3. These tie beams are secured to the pillow sills 9, 9 by means of bolts 16, as may be understood from Figures 1 and 2.

transformer core is shown at 17, and rests upon the tie beams 15, 15, as indicated in Figure 3. Engaging the transformer core are a pair of clamping blocks 18, 18, each provided with a relatlvel thick portion 19, as indicated more particularly in Figure 2.

Bolts 20 of the form shown in Figure 3, each extend through one of the clamping blocks 18, closely adjacent a portion of the transformer core 17, and through one of the tie beams 15 and one of the foot sills 14.

Mounted upon the transformer core 17 which is self-closed, are two distinct primary windings 21, 22, and covering each primary windin is a tubular sleeve 23, of insulating materia Encircling the windings 21, 22, are two separate and distinct secondary windings 25,

24, located some distance apart, that is to say, they encircle oppositely disposed portions of the transformer core. Each secondary winding has the form of a double spool.

Each foot sill 14, 14, is provided adjacent each of its ends with a number of slots 26, each preferably being a saw kerf, and relatively shallow. Fitted into the slots 26 and thus resting upon the foot sills 14 are a number of condenser plates 27, 28, so arranged as to constitute two distinct condensers, located adjacent opposite ends of the foot sills 14, 14. The condenser plates are provided with rims 29 which fit loosely into the slots 26.

Located within the upper portion of the tank is a condenser block 30 of the form shown in Figure 3. It extends entirely across the tank, and is provided with a pair of downwardly extending portions 31, the latter being formed to engage the upper edges of the condenser plates. For this purpose the downwardly extending portions 31 are provided with slots 32, into which the upper edges of the condenser plates extend. Thus the condenser plates are firmly fixed in position, being held at both top and bottom.

Conductively connected with the condensers and extending upwardly therefrom are a number of conducting strips 33, 33, arranged in two sets as shown, and at the top connected with the condenser terminals, shown at 34, 35. Similarly a number of con denser strips 36, 36, lead to the condenser terminals 37, 38.

Thus one condenser, made up of the plates 27 has its terminals 37 and 38, and the other condenser, made up of the plates 28, has its terminals 34 and 35.

A switch base 39, having the form of a plate is mounted upon the clamping blocks 18, and by means of screws 40 is secured directly to the relatively thick portion 19 thereof.

' Carried by the switch base 39 and extending upwardly therefrom is a rocking shaft 41 made of metal, a stationary post 42 also of metal, and an actuating shaft 43. This actuating shaft is made of metal, and extends through a hole in the cover 8, which acts as a bearing. The actuating shaft 43 is adapted to be rocked. The switch base 39 also carries a metallic post 44 which is stationary and which extends upwardly from it like the post 42.

The two shafts 41 and 43 and the two posts 42 and 44 are provided with tubular insulating members 45.

Mounted rigidly upon the actuating shaft 43 is a crank 46, and a similar crank 47 is mounted upon the upper end of the rocking shaft 41. A pitman 48 extends from the crank 46 to the crank 47, in order to enable these two cranks to be actuated in unison, by rocking movements of the actuating shaft 43.

A contact arm 49 is mounted rigidly upon the rocking shaft 41, and another contact arm is mounted rigidly upon the actuating shaft 43. A metallic post 61 is located midway between the rocking shaft 11 and the actuating shaft'43.

The parts just described are so formed and arranged that when the actuatingshaft 43 is turned in a clockwise direction according to Figure 1 the two contact arms 49 and 50 are brought intoengagement with the metallic .post 61 andthus into metallic comn nnication with each other, and when the actuating shaft 43 is turnedin a counterclockwise direction according tothis figure, the contact arms 19 and 50 are disengaged from each other, the

;.contact arm 49 being brought into contact with a contact button 51, carried by themetallic post 42 and virtually formin a part thereof, the contact arm 5 0being brought into engagement with a contact button 52, carried by the'post 44 and constituting practically an enlarged portion thereof.

Mounted rigidly upon the upper end of the actuating shaft 43 is a rocking arm 53, of the form shown-more particularly in Figure 41. Associated with the rocking arm 53 is an in dicator 5 1, shown more particularly in Figure 4, and provided with legends High and Low, these legends referring respectively to the voltage to be controlled by aid of the actu- "ating shaft 43, or rather by the switch of which this shaftis apart.

A cord 55 isconnected with one end of the rocking arm 53, and connected withthe opposite end-of thisrocking arm is another cord .56. The cords 55 and 56 are threaded through eyes 57, and are pulled by hand as occasion requires, in order tosh'ift the rocking arm 53 back and forth, thus operating the switch.

Mounted upon the cover 8 area pair of bindi posts 58, 59throughwhich current is supplied to the primary circuit of the transformer, and a binding post 60 which is used as a ground connection, A wire 61 leads from the binding post 60 to the metallic post 61, and

v by aid of this wire and binding post the post 61 is grounded.

Mounted upon the cover 8 and extending upwardly therefrom are four high tension insulators 62, 63, 64k and 65. These insulators are of tubular form, and are provided respectively with'neck portions 66, 67, 68 and 69, also of tubular fez-"m which proiect im-art wa rdly through holes in the cover. Each neck portion is closed oil tight at its bottom by a J closure plate 70 of insulating material.

Encircling the neck portion 68 and supported thereby is a small transformer 71, having an annular form and adapted to generate currents of low voltage for heating the cathode or filament of the X-ray tube. Similarly, two other transformers 72 and 7 3 of the same kind are provided, the transformer 7 2 encircling the neck portion 67 of the insulator 63, and the transformer 73 being mounted in the same way uponthe neck portion 69' of-the insulator 65.

The transformers 72 and 7 3 are each used for generating currents to heat the filament or cathode of one of the valve tubes, of which there are two. These valve tubes are used as rectifiers of the high tension currents, as hereinafter more particularly explained.

I do not deem it necessary to describe in detail the construction and action of these transformers, as they form no part of my invention. Suitlce it to say that they are energized in any appropriate manner, as for instance by currents supplied from a line, an adequate amount of resistance being used, in- 3a terposed between them and the line.

A pair of valve tubes as shown at 7 1, 7 5 are used rectifiers for the high tension currents.

The valve tube 74 is mounted upon the 5 insulator 62, and extends upwardly therefrom with its anode end upward. A metallic sphere 76 is connected with the upper end of this valve tube, and is provided with a high tension tap 77, rounded to prevent 9c. corona. This tap serves practically as a high tension binding post. A clip, not shown, is detachably gripped upon it atany time, in order to connect it up with outside mechanism of any kind to which hightension currents are to be supplied.

A metallic tube 78 is connected with the sphere 76, and serves as a support there-for. This metallic tube is fitted into the upper end of the high tension insulator 65, and GX tends therefrom obliquely upward to the left according to Figure 3.

In much the same manner the valve tube 75 is supported upon the insulator 64:, from which it extends upwardly. Above the valve 5 tube 7 5 is a metallic sphere 79, carrying two taps 80 and 81, like the tap 77. The sphere 79 is mounted upon a metallic tube 82, the latter being mounted upon the insulator 63- and extending therefrom obliquely upward to the right according to Figure 3.

The various parts above described are connected up as indicated in the diagrams shown in Figures 5 and 6. The wiring is alike in these two figures, but the condition of the mechanism is different, owing to the action of the high tension switch.

From the anode end of the X-ray tube a conductor 88 leads to a junction 89, and from thence three conductors 90, 91 and 92 lead respectively to the condenser 28, the stationary contact post 52 and the secondary winding 25.

From the secondary winding 25 a conductor 93 leads to the cathode end of the valve tube 74. From the anode end of this tube a conductor 94 leads to a junctid 95., and thence two conductors 99 and 97 lead respectively to the condenser 27 and the rocking post 41.

A conductor 98 leads from the actuating shaft to a junction 99, and thence a coniuctor 100 leads to the condenser 28, and a conductor 101 leads to the cathode end of the valve tube 75. The anode end oi? the valve tube is connected by a conductor 10.2 with the secondary winding 24.

Two conductors 103 and 104 are connected with the respective binding posts The conductor 103 is also connected conductors 105 and 106, the conductor 10:; leading to the primary winding 21,, and the conductor 106 leading to the primary winding 21. The conductor 104 is connected with a conductor 107 leading to the primary winding 21, and with another conductor 108 which leads to the primary winding 22. By these connections the two primary windings are in parallel with each other with reference to the binding posts 58 and 59, whereby the primary circuit is energized.

The primary circuit may be traced as :tol lows: source of alternating current {no shown), binding post 58, wire 193, whenc the current divides; one half of it passes through wire 105, primary winding 22, wire 108 to wire 104, the other half passing through wire 106, primary winding 21 to wire 104; here the two halves of the current reunite, and pass out through the binding post 59 to source of power. This energizes the transformer, and currents are thus generated in the secondary windings and The secondary circuit is different at different times, depending upon the condition of the electric switch, as controlled from tin'ie to time by the operator, by aid of the two cords 55 and 56.

If the operator wants the machine to generate light currents of relatively high voltage he pulls the cord 55, and thereby brings the electric switch into the condition shown in Figures 1 and 2 and indicated by the diagram in Figure 5.

The secondary circuit through the X-ray tube 83 may now be traced as follows:

X-ray tube 83, conductor 88, junction 89,

conductor 92, secondary winding 25, conduc-v tor 93, valve tube 74, conductor 94, junction 95, conductor 97, rocking shaft 41, contact arms 49 and 50 (now in contact) actuating shaft 43, conductor 98, junction 99, conductor 101, valve tube 75, conductor 102, secondary winding 24, conductor 88, junction 85, and conductor 84 back to X-ray tube 83.

It will be noted that the two condensers 27 and 28, while not included in the circuit just traced, are nevertheless each bridged across a part of the circuit, in such manner as to store up considerable quantities of electric energy. This arrangement of the condensers enables the machine to maintain the voltage almost continuous, which is an object of great value for therapeutic purposes.

It may be noted that in the circuit just traced each secondary winding produces one half of the terminal voltage, and each valve tube rectifies one half of the total current. It may also be noted that while the electric stresses due to the high voltage are very great, they are as far as practicable distrib-- uted uniformly throughout the system.

When the operator wants to produce relatively heavy currents of lower voltage and to cut out the condensers, he simply pulls the cord 56. This places the machine in the condition indicated by the diagram in Figure 6.

The secondary circuit now has two branches in parallel with each other, and may be separately traced with reference to its two branches as follows: First, X-ray tube 83, conductor 88, junction 89, conductor 92, secondary winding 25, conductor 93, valve tube 74, conductor 94, junction 95, conductor 97, rocking shaft 41, contact arm 49, contact button 51 of stationary post 42, conductor 87, junction 85 and conductor 84, back to X-ray tube 83. Second, X-ray tube 83, conductor 88. junction 89, conductor 91, contact button 52 of stationary post 44, contact arm 50, actuating shaft 43, conductor 98, junction 99, conductor 101, valve tube 75, conductor 102, secondary Winding 24, conductor 88, junction 85, and conductor 84 back to X-ray tube 83.

It may be noted that with the machine in the condition indicated in Figure 6, the X- ray tube is energized, first by a current generated in the secondary winding 25 and passing freely through the valve tube 74, and then by a current generated in the secondary winding 24 and passing freely through the valve tube 75; and that whenever current is passing through either valve tube it is never passing through the other.

The arrangement contemplated by Figure 6 is of peculiar value for short exposures with heavy current. For examining the stomach, chest and various other internal organs, this arrangement is ideal. As an independent consideration, the current loads as well as the voltages are here well distributed, and with reasonable care no trouble need occur.

By short-circuiting the condensers and throwing them out of action as indicated in Figure 6, all time-lag due to excessive capacity is done away with, and the time periods of exposure are reduced accordingly.

My improved X-ray machine is adapted for a variety of work, in that it can be instantly converted from one of its functions to the other. It can be used steadily for any length of time for one kind of work, and then used steadily for another kind of work, or it can be shifted back and forth from one kind of work to the other at very short intervals, as desired. Because of its double function, it can often be used instead of two separate machines, one for therapy and the other for radiography.

I do not limit myself to the precise mechanism shown, as variations therefrom may be made without departing from my invention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. In an X-ray machine the combination, with an X-ray tube, of a pair of secondary windings, a rectifying member connected with each winding for rectifying the currents produced thereby, and switch .mechanism connected with said rectifying members for connecting them in series or in parallel with each other relatively to said X-ray tube, depending upon the voltage and current required for said X-ray tube.

2. In an X-ray machine the combination, with an X-ray tube, of a pair of secondary windings, a rectifying member connected with each winding for rectifying the currents produced thereby, switch mechanism connected with said rectifying members for connecting them in series or in parallel with each other and to said Xray tube, according to the voltage and current required for said X-ray tube, and condenser mechanism connected with said secondary windings and controllable by said switch mechanism for throw- 111g said condensers out of action whenever said rectifying members are thus connected in parallel.

3. In an X-ray machine the combination, with an X-ray tube, of apair of secondary windings, a pair of valve tubes, one for each secondary winding, and a switch connected with both of said secondary windings and both of said valve tubes, said switch having two normal positions, one for connecting said secondary windings and valve tubes in series with each other and the other for connecting them in parallel with each other, to said X-ray tube.

i. In an X-ray machine the combination, with an X-ray tube, of a pair of secondary windings, rectifying devices, condensers, and

a switch connected with said secondary windings and with said rectifying devices and condensers, said switch having two normal positions, one for the double purpose of bridging said condensers across said X-ray tube and connecting said secondary windings and rectifying devices in series with each other relatively to said X-ray tube, the other secondary winding, a pair of condensers, one

for each secondary winding, and a switch connected with all of said secondary windings, valve tubes and condensers, said switch having two normal positions, one for the double purpose of connecting said secondary.

windings and saijd valve tubesin series with each other relatively to said "X-ray tube and bridging said condenser across the same, the other for the double purpose of throwing said condenser out of action and connecting in x parallel with each other, relatively to said X-ray tube, two parallel circuits each containing one of said secondary windings and one of said valve tubes.

6. In an X-ray machine the combination,u

with an X-ray tube, of a plurality of secondary windings, means independent of said X-ray tube for rectifying the currents developed by said secondary windings in order to produce discharges of unitary direction through said X-ray tube, switch mechanism connected with saidsecondary windings in order to connect them indifferent ways relatively to said X-ray tube so as to vary the amperage relatively to the voltage of the currents producing said discharges, and condenser mechanism connected with said switch mechanism and controllable thereby for further varying the characterof saidcurrents.

7. In an X-ray machine the combination, with an X-ray tube, of a plurality of secondary windings, rectifying devices, a switch connected with said secondary windings and said rectifying devices and coacting therewith for varying the voltage and amperage of currents supplied to said X-ray tube, and condensers connected with said switch and thereby thrown into and out of circuit with said X-ray tube.

8. In an X-ray machine the combination, with an X-ray tube, of a pair of secondary windings, a pair of valve tubes, one for each secondary winding, a pair of condensers, one for each secondary winding, and a switch connected with said condensers for throwing them into and out of circuit, said switch being also connected with all of said secondary windings, valve tubes and condensers for the purpose of enabling said secondary windings to discharge either in series or in parallel through said X-ray tube.

9. A device, comprising an X-ray tube, two secondaries for energizing said X-ray tube, and two valve tubes for rectifying the high tension currents generated by said secondaries, one of said secondaries and one of said valve tubes being in circuit with the other secondary and the other valve tube relatively to said X-ray tube.

10. In a circuit with an X-ray tube a plurality of secondaries for energizing said X- ray tube, and a plurality of valve rectifiers for rectifying the high tension currents generated by said secondaries, said secondaries being in parallel with each other, and said valve tubes also being in parallel with each other, relatively to said X-ray tube.

11. In an X-ra machine the combination, with an X-ray tu e, of a plurality of secondary windings, a plurality of rectifiers for rectifying the currents produced by said secondary windings, and switch mechanism controllable by the operator for connecting said rectifiers in parallel with each other relatively to said X-ray tube.

12. In an X-ray machine the combination, with an X-ray tube, of a plurality of secondary windings, a plurality of rectifying devices, and a plurality of condensers connected with said secondary windings and said secondary rectifying devices, said condensers being in parallel with each other relatively to said X-ray tube.

13. In an X-ray machine the combination, with an X-ray tube, of a plurality of secondary windings, a plurality of rectifying devices, and a plurality of condensers connected with said secondary windings and said rectifying devices, said rectifying devices being in parallel with each other relatively to said X-ray tube.

Signed at Long Island City, in the county of Queens and State of New York, this 13th day of September, 1926.

ARTHUR MUTSCHELLER. 

